Paddy Ashdown blasts Tory demonisation of poor

Inside Housing reports a speech that the former Lib Dem leader made to the Chartered Institute of Housing south west conference in Torquay on Friday.

Paddy Ashdown said:

"The demonisation of the poor, which has been going on there is no doubt about that, is extremely unhelpful to the nation and very unhelpful in getting through these changes which I think are necessary and helpful to the country.

"And we will continue to fight that and continue in this government to restrain them [the Conservatives] from doing things that are either damaging to those that least able to bear the burdens or infringing our civil liberties."